Bed frame with integral air purifying device

ABSTRACT

An integral air purifying unit disposed inside a bed frame between a pair of cross-members. The air purifying unit includes a fan, at least one filter and an ultraviolet germicidal lamp. The structural members are provided with louvered openings to provide an inlet and outlet for the air purifying unit. Air is drawn through the inlet by the fan and passes through at least one filter. The air also passes over a germicidal lamp before exiting through an outlet in the side member on the opposite side of the fan.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/490,785 filed on Jul. 28, 2003, and entitled “BedFrame with Integral Air Purifying Device,” which is incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to bed frames and air purifying devices,and in particular to a bed frame having an integral air purifyingdevice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for a frame design that incorporates an air purifyingdevice such that the air purifying device is secure and does not take upany CL additional floor space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the above-described need by providing aconnecting device with a structural member having opposed end wallsconnected to a side wall. Each of the end walls has an inner wallextending therefrom in spaced apart relation to the side wall. Thestructural member has a first slot and a second slot. The first slotextends from the end wall through the inner wall and the second slotextends through the opposite inner wall. A cross-bearing member having aside wall, end wall, inner wall and top wall disposed on at least oneend engages with the structural member. The end wall and inner wallconnect to the side wall and are spaced apart from the top wall suchthat the end wall, inner wall and side wall are capable of slidingthrough the first slot in the structural member and the side wall on theopposite end is capable of sliding through the second slot.

An integral air purifying unit is disposed inside the frame between apair of cross-members. The air purifying unit includes a fan, at leastone filter and an ultraviolet germicidal lamp. The structural membersare provided with louvered openings to provide an inlet and outlet forthe air purifying unit. Air is drawn through the inlet by the fan andpasses through at least one filter. The air also passes over agermicidal lamp before exiting through an outlet in the side member onthe opposite side of the fan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like referencecharacters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bed frame of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged perspective view of the inside top of one of theside support members;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view of the inside bottom of one ofthe side support members;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the air purifying device of thepresent invention; and,

FIG. 4 is an end elevation view of the frame and air purifying device ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a pair of structural members 10, 13 are connectedby a plurality of cross-bearing members 16. The structural members 10,13 comprise a left hand member 10 and a right hand member 13. Themembers 10, 13 are substantially similar except for their right and lefthand orientation as described herein. The members 10, 13 are preferablyconstructed from metal (i.e., 18 gauge steel), however, other materialsmay also be suitable. The members 10, 13 have a substantially planarside wall 19 that extends along the entire length of the member. At thetop and bottom of the side wall 19 there are inner walls 22, 25respectively. The inner walls 22, 25 are preferably integrally formed bybending the metal. The top inner wall 22 extends substantially parallelto the side wall 19. An end wall 28 shown in FIG. 1A connects the innerwall 22 to the side wall 19.

The bottom inner wall 25 extends parallel to side wall 19, and thebottom end wall 31 shown in FIG. 1B extends substantially perpendicularto side wall 19. The cross-bearing members 16 connect to the sidestructural members 10, 13 at opposite ends as detailed below. Thecross-bearing members 16 have a central portion 43 disposed betweenopposite ends 46, 49. The ends 46, 49 interlock with a plurality ofslots 52, 55 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) in the side support members 10, 13. Thebed frame structure is described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No.6,449,786, which is incorporated by reference.

Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, the air purifying device 100 of the presentinvention is bounded at opposite ends by the side wall 19 of structuralmembers 10, 13. At the opposite sides the device 100 is bounded bycross-members 16 as the device 100 fits between a pair of cross members.The side wall 19 is provided with an opening 103 for air intake. Theopening 103 may be louvered or covered by a grill as will be evident tothose of ordinary skill in the art.

On the opposite structural member, there is an opening 106 for an airoutlet. On the intake side of fan 109, at least one pre-filter 112 isarranged in housing 115. The pre-filter 112 may include variousmechanical filtering elements and chemical filtering media such ascarbon as will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art.

On the discharge side of the fan 109, an ultraviolet lamp 118 isdisposed such that discharge air from the fan 109 passes over the lamp118. The lamp 118 provides a germicidal effect to kill viruses andbacteria in the air. After the air passes through the field of lamp 118,the air may pass through a final filter 125 containing furthermechanical and chemical filtering media.

Turning to FIG. 4, as shown, the air purifying device 100 fits withinthe bed frame below the cross-bearing members 16. Accordingly, thedevice is securely installed to prevent theft. Also, the device fitscompletely within the bed frame and therefore, does not take up anyfloor space. The present invention may also be used with bed frameshaving structural members that attach by means of fasteners such asbolts or the like.

While the invention has been described in connection with certainembodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

1. A bed frame, comprising: a support structure having at least twolengthwise structural members and having at least one cross-memberconnected to the at least two lengthwise structural members, the supportstructure having openings defined therein; and, an air purifying unithaving an inlet and an outlet, the air purifying unit attached to thesupport structure and disposed between the at least two lengthwisestructural members such that the inlet and outlet are in communicationwith the openings in the support structure.
 2. The bed frame of claim 1,wherein the air purifying unit further comprises a fan.
 3. The bed frameof claim 1, wherein the air purifying unit further comprises apre-filter disposed upstream of the fan.
 4. The bed frame of claim 3,wherein the pre-filter is mechanical.
 5. The bed frame of claim 3,wherein the pre-filter is chemical.
 6. The bed frame of claim 2, whereinthe air purifying unit further comprises an ultraviolet lamp disposedsuch that discharge air from the fan passes over the lamp.
 7. The bedframe of claim 6, wherein the air purifying unit further comprises afinal stage filter disposed downstream of the lamp.
 8. The bed frame ofclaim 7, wherein the final stage filter is mechanical.
 9. The bed frameof claim 7 wherein the final stage filter is chemical.
 10. A bed frame,comprising: A support structure having at least two lengthwisestructural members and having at least one cross-member connected to theat least two lengthwise structural members, the support structure havingopenings defined therein; and, an air purifying unit having an inlet andan outlet, the air purifying unit attached to the support structure anddisposed between the at least two lengthwise structural members, the airpurifying unit having a fan in fluid communication with the inlet andthe outlet, the air purifying unit having a pre-filter disposed upstreamof the fan, an ultraviolet lamp, and a final stage filter disposeddownstream of the fan.
 11. The bed frame of claim 10, wherein the airpurifying unit is bordered on all sides by the at least two lengthwisestructural members and two cross members.
 12. The bed frame of claim 10,wherein the pre-filter is mechanical.
 13. The bed frame of claim 10,wherein the pre-filter is chemical.
 14. The bed frame of claim 10,wherein the final stage filter is mechanical.
 15. The bed frame of claim10, wherein the final stage filter is chemical.
 16. The bed frame ofclaim 10, wherein the ultraviolet lamp is disposed such that dischargeair from the fan passes over the lamp.
 17. A bed frame, comprising: asupport structure having at least two lengthwise structural membershaving a pair of opposed first and second end walls connected by a firstside wall and having a pair of opposed first and second inner wallsextending from the first and second end walls respectively and disposedin spaced apart relation to the first side wall, the first and secondend walls disposed substantially perpendicular to the first side wall,the first and second inner walls disposed substantially parallel to thefirst side wall, the first and second inner walls being shorter than thefirst side wall such that an opening is formed in the structural member,the first end wall having at least one first slot defined therein andextending from the first end wall through the adjacent first inner wall,the second inner wall having at least one second slot defined therein,the lengthwise structural members having openings defined therein, and,having at least one cross-bearing member having a third end wall and afourth end wall connected by a second side wall and a third inner walland a fourth inner wall disposed in spaced apart relation to the secondside wall, the third end wall and fourth end wall being disposed suchthat the second side wall, third inner wall, and third end wall arecapable of sliding through one of the first slots in the first end wallof the structural member and such that the second side wall is capableof passing through one of the second slots in the second inner wall ofthe structural member and such that the second side wall, fourth innerwall and fourth end wall are capable of sliding through one of the firstslots in the first end wall of the structural member and such that thesecond side wall is capable of passing through one of the second slotsin the second inner wall of the structural member, the third and fourthend walls being disposed at an angle of sixty to eighty degrees withrespect to the top wall, the support structure having openings definedtherein; and, an air purifying unit having an inlet and an outlet, theair purifying unit attached to the support structure and disposedbetween the at least two lengthwise structural members such that theinlet and outlet are in communication with the openings in the supportstructure.